Wild Animals
by DeceptionQueen
Summary: This is the Gallagher Girls as shape shifters. Bad at summaries, try reading the first chapter to get a better idea. I will add Blackthorne so don't worry! There shall be Zammie! *I changed Bex to a bear shifter and Liz to a bird shifter*
1. Chapter 1

***Please Read* Sorry for removing my Gallagher/Heist Crossover but I thought it was getting really crazy and I had a bad case of writers block. My new story is going to be the Gallagher Girls as shape shifters. I love the series 'Otherkin' by Nina Berry; I can't find it on FanFic so I'm writing my own story. I'll add those characters in later, but I'll explain who they are so you don't have to read Otherkin to understand, although it might help. I'll try not to add spoilers.**

Chapter One

As I walked up to my school, the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women (or Shape Shifters), I finally knew I was home. I looked at the side of the building that had our school's name carved into the stone and mentally added 'Shape Shifters' under the beautiful writing. Of course the people of Roseville didn't need to know they were living less than a mile away from hundreds of people that could shift into something that can bite their neck off (minus the Rats). But we aren't only Shape Shifters that can turn into deadly animals, we're also spies. Double whammy! So if you're of the right mind, don't mess with us.

My mother is the headmistress and one of the best secret agents the CIA has ever seen, or so I've been told. Although by all the stories she's told me that are of my clearance you'd have to be one of the dumbest people alive to not figure that out. My father is part of the United States council for shape shifters, representing the big cats. I am a spy and shape shifter-in-training. Everyone expect great things from me since I have very powerful people on both sides of my family. Every other summer I go visit my grandparents from my dad's side and they teach me special shape shifter things, making me the best shape shifter in my class, and every other summer I go visit my Aunt Abby, and she teaches me special spy things, making me the best spy in my class, also. My mother isn't a shape shifter, but because she was married to one of the most powerful shape shifters in the world and having a shape shifter daughter, I guess gives you the clearance to run a shape shifter school. Being that she's a human, I'm half human, which gives me special abilities that the other shifters can't do.

I arrived home two weeks earlier than the other students like usual, this is the most personal time I get with my mom and I want to take full advantage of it. I want to go say 'Hi' but I need to go put my bags away and claim my bed. Once I reach my room I fling my bags on my same bed in the corner. I look around, and everything is the exact same as I left it. I take in the room as this is the only time I will be able to see the room without clothes strewn everywhere. "Home sweet home," I sigh to myself. I open up my dresser and closet and put all my clothes away in my little sections of each. Macey has the most room because she always brings a truck load of designer clothes every year. Literally, she actually has a truck, and because her father is part of the United States council also, she gets an empty room to put all her stuff. Every time we shift she refuses to wear the regular clothes given to us. "Grey is _so _not my color." She told us her first year here, which is ironic since her wolf coat is about as grey as it gets, but her big blue eyes always drag your line of sight away from her body. In human form she has pale skin with long, thick, black hair and the same blue eyes. Her nose, unlike in wolf form, is a little button, add that with big, pouty lips and you have the gorgeous Macey McHenry. Rumor has it she was offered a spot on Vogue but her father made her decline because he was afraid that'd draw unwanted attention to our kind, although, personally, I think he just can't comprehend how gorgeous is daughter is, and doesn't like that every boy she's ever met automatically is head-over-heels in love with her.

My other roommate Bex is a bear shifter. Her cappuccino colored skin matches her big fluffy coat, with big brown eyes that make you want to run up and squeeze the life out of the big brown bear. Her father is part of the Britain council and her mother goes around trying to bring peace between the bears, but being that they're solitary animals it's a big job. Many of the bears, no matter how much they decline it, are falling prey to hunters everywhere, but you can't break their natural nature of being solitary.

My last roommate is a bird shifter, although you'd never guess she's the smartest in the class, with her having a bird brain and all. She doesn't mind it though and says that it just keeps her one step ahead, and ready to outsmart anyone at any moment. She transforms into a beautiful parrot. Her parents are head of a small parrot flock, and when she graduates she's expected to become the next leader but she says she wants to do something bigger with her life, she just doesn't know what.

Last, but not least, I am Cameron Ann Morgan, a natural cheetah shifter. My father and I are some of the last cheetah shifters to live, so the councils treasure us. I am naturally fast in both my forms, which gives me very strong legs, but I can give a good punch too. I've been working on my endurance and now I can not only go fast, but I can go fast for an extended period of time, unlike the wild cheetahs. Being a cheetah I am a bit small, only not as small as Liz, but I can blend into any crowd, and in cheetah form I can hide in tall grasses and in some trees.

Most of everybody's nickname is their animal, but my roommates and I are the only exception. Macey is Peacock, Bex is Duchess (as much as she wants to change it we always call her Duchess on comms), Liz is Bookworm (uh, duh), and I am the infamous Chameleon.

In just two short weeks all my friends will be back home. As soon as all my stuff was packed neatly in the dresser I ran to my mom's office to say hi. I knocked on her door, "Come in!" I heard from inside. I skipped through the doorway, "Hiya!" I said and smiled. She smiled back and got up to give me a hug. "I missed you." I told her. "I missed you too." She said to my hair. Her office phone started ringing and she looked back and frowned. "Are you expecting anyone?" I asked her. She removed her arms from around my back and walked over to check caller ID, as if she didn't already know. "Cam, honey, I need to answer this real quick. I'll talk to you later?" She said, telling me to leave. I nodded and left the room. As soon as I turned around she started talking into the phone, and due to my strong hearing senses I could hear the other side of the conversation. "Are the rooms ready? We are getting them ready to come in a month." I didn't hear the rest of the conversation as I walked out the door, due to her extra sound proof door and wall. That was really weird. Who's 'them' and where are they going? Are they coming here? I wondered about this as I walked to my favorite hiding place in the walls.

I walked up flights of creaky old stairs to get to my tiny little room that had windows on all the sides. I felt free up here, I only ever felt freer outside. Up here I could see the trees and the wind blowing their leaves, with the sun peeking through the branches. Autumn would soon be upon us and all the leaves will fall. I felt my middle purr as the cat inside me begged to be let free for a little while. I sighed, giving in as I undressed, not wanting to ruin yet another outfit. As soon as I felt my bare skin I could feel my fingers turn to claws and my soft skin turn to fur. My sight became strict and I could hear the trees crashing into each other. I started purring to myself and I lay down, basking in the sun. That's where I fell asleep for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Two weeks after I woke up in the tower some of the girls were arriving home. I lay in that very same tower; peering out at the train of limo's coming home. My roommates should be here any second and I'm waiting to spot out their cars. I watch as some of the other girls in my class step out of the long vehicle and run to greet each other. I sigh, as I should be down there waiting for my very friends to arrive. I have pretty much sat in this same spot the whole two weeks I was here, besides getting food and going to the restroom. Mom was too busy getting the school ready to spend time with me. It's not like it's that big of a surprise, but it still saddens me to have come here early for no reason.

I see one of my roommates' familiar head step out of a car door and I get up to go downstairs and greet her.

As soon as I pass through the school's grand front door I hear a squeal as Liz comes and gives me a hug. "So how was your summer?" I ask her. "It was awesome!" She smiles at me as she rattles on about everything she did these past few months.

I feign listening as another head pops out of a car door. "Bex, you're here!" Liz and I shout at the same time. She smiles and runs over to us. "Cammie, Lizzie! I missed you guys!" She says, putting her long arms out for a group hug. Liz and I both accept as Liz continues telling us about her summer. Once she's finished I ask Bex, "So, how was your summer?" She beams, "Oh it was the best! My parents and I went all over the place!" She says, as she too starts ratting off her summers' happenings. Once she finished telling about all the things she saw I ask what we're all thinking, "Hey, where's Macey?" Bex and Liz both shrug, implying they have no idea either. "Well no use waiting around, let's go get our room set up before her royal highness takes up all our space." They both nod, grabbing their bags and running up the stairs. "So, you didn't tell us about your summer Cam, how was it?" Bex asks me. "Same old, same old." I respond, not wanting to get into detail, as most of it had to do with learning how to skin fish and small mammals.

As soon as we reach our room Bex and Liz claim their usual beds and hurry to get as much closet space as they need. I plop down on my bed and stare up at the wall as they shuffle through the closet space. "As soon as Macey gets here I have to tell you guys something." I tell them. They both look up from putting their stuff away. "What is it? What's happened?" Liz asks me. I bet they're worried something happened to Josh, my ex-boyfriend. Last year I left the school every week to go spend time with him, but being that I'm not exactly normal, many very important people told me to stop. "Nothing serious, just something I overheard." I tell them. They both nod and go back to shuffling through their suitcases.

Once they're both done we head back downstairs to find a very angry-looking Macey yelling at a guard. "Give that back, it's designer!" She screams. "It's just a _shoe_ not a freaking gun!" The guard looks at the shoe curiously, it has very high heels and by the look on his face he knows nothing about fashion. "Is there a problem?" Madam Dabney asks them. "Madam Dabney, he won't give me my shoe back!" Macey whines, even when she's pouting she's still gorgeous. "Give that to me." Madam Dabney says to the guard. He grudgingly hands it over and Dabney takes a good hard look at it. "I see nothing wrong with this, so would you two please head your separate ways. I believe your roommates are waiting for you, Macey." With one last angry glance at the guard, Macey walks over to us. "Hey guys! I missed you! How were your summers?" She asks us.

As all three start blabbing on about their summers I look over Macey's shoulder and watch as other girls walk in. Many are still squealing and hugging the life out of each other, but then I see something peculiar. Mom is fast walking towards Madame Dabney with a serious expression on her face. "Madame, there's been a breach." She tells her, and Dabney nods and walks with her. No one else seems to have noticed and I turn my attention back to my roommates and we each grab one of Macey's bags and head back to our dorm. Bex is telling them about some statue she saw and I'm trying my best to pay attention but I'm pretty bored of the whole summer stories talk, same as every year.

We reach our dorm just as Bex's story ends and I walk over to plop on my bed again. Macey flings the closet doors open and I keep myself from laughing as she frowns at the amount of space we have left. "Poor Macey, she doesn't have enough room for her wardrobe." Bex comments as we all laugh at Macey's frown. "Seriously guys, how am I supposed to fit all the stuff I bought from London in here?" She whines at us. "Macey, you have your own room to fit all your stuff in, I'm sure you'll be fine." I tell her. She gives me a doubtful look but shrugs as she takes one of her many suitcases to her mega-closet. All three of us look at each other and crack up all over again. I start wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes, "Seriously guys, I think we should help her." I say to my roommates as I walk over to one of her suitcases and start to take it to her room. I hear footsteps behind me as Liz and Bex follow suit. I see two maintenance guys bringing about twenty of her clothes-filled suitcases. "Hey! Follow us and we'll show you were to put it." They nod at me and pull the cart holding all her stuff so all of us are in a line.

As soon as I've led them down the hall to Macey's walk-in closet I hear her open up her suitcase and start putting some dresses on hooks. "Hey Cam, just set the suitcase there and come help me put some of this away." I lay it where she pointed and show the maintenance guys where to put the rest of her stuff. "Thanks for bringing them all the way here! We really appreciate it!" I call to them as they leave the room. I turn around and see Bex and Liz putting away another one of her suitcases. "Hey Mace, we get to wear some of this to, right?" I ask her, jokingly. I would never wear this stuff in a thousand years, it's way too high-fashion for me. "Of course you can, and will!" She tells me giving me a look that says 'You will wear this even if I have to knock you out to get you into it.' I sigh, last year when she found out about Josh she chose every single thing I put on my body every time I went to see him, even when I cried of protest when she plucked my eyebrows. They still tingle when I think about it.

"Remember when I told you guys that I have something important to share?" I continued when they nodded at me. "Well I overheard my mom talking to someone on the phone and they asked if the rooms are ready and that 'they're' getting 'them' ready to come over in a month, well two weeks now. Whoever 'they' are..." I tell them putting air quotes around 'they'. "Do you think 'they' are coming here?" Macey asked, looking from me to Bex to Liz. "By the sound of it, yes. I mean, why else would they be telling the Headmistress about it." Bex said. "I don't know, but we're going to find out." I told my friends. "But first we must finish putting Her Royal Highness's things away."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

It's been a day since everyone's arrived home. That gives us 13 days to solve this mystery. "Come on Macey! The Welcome Back dinner is about to start!" I yelled at Macey, as she was still getting ready in the bathroom. "Okay… done!" She said as she did her finishing touches and stepped out of the bathroom. "Great! Let's go!" I said, pulling her arm. Bex and Liz trailed behind, making sure she didn't head back and waste some more time. "Geez, okay, I'm going, I'm going!" She said to me, pulling her arm out of my grasp and jogging ahead of me. Bex and Liz jogged to catch up with us and we headed toward the 'Welcome Back' dinner.

My roommates and I were the last people to arrive and as soon as we sat down my mother started, "Women of the Gallagher Academy, who goes there?" She projected through the room. "We are the sisters of Gillian." We all answered. "Why do you come?" She asks us. "To learn her skills, honor her sword, and keep her secrets." We sang back. "To what end do you work?" She questions, her words bouncing off the walls. "To the cause of justice and light." We all called back. "How long will you all strive?" She asks. "For all the days of our lives." We finish. She motions for us to sit and everyone silently sits back down. "Welcome back girls, I have some news to tell you then you may eat your dinner." She tells us. "Until further notice, the East Wing will be inaccessible due to some gas problems." That earned her a bunch of giggles. I looked at my friends' faces and I saw that they were thinking the exact same thing I was; we have to get access to the East Wing. Luckily me being me, I know dozens of secret passageways that could get us there in no time at all.

After we finished eating my friends and I got ready to go and search the East Wing. We need to work fast if we want to get this mystery solved in two weeks. We all got some gear and headed to one of my passageways. "This one's never used so… prepare for spiders." I told them as I stepped through the opening. I heard their footsteps follow behind me and I squeak as Liz came face-to-face with a spiders' web. The girl's the smartest person I know and yet an itty bitty spider scared her. This one of my passageways wasn't very elaborate and after about 2 minutes we found ourselves in the East Wing. "Come on guys, maybe there's something in the rooms." I said to my friends as I walked toward one of the doors. I waited for them to catch up then I slowly kicked the door open with my foot and it creaked open. "They're rooms," By the blandness of it all I could only guess one thing, "For boys?" I finished. "What does this mean?" Bex asked as she took in the room. "Boys are coming to the Gallagher Academy." I stated blandly.

As soon as we got back to our room we all plopped on each of our beds simultaneously. "How do we know it's true?" Liz asks. I sighed, "I guess we don't until two weeks from now." Two weeks, only because I promised my mom no more sneaking out or doing things behind her back. "Why don't we explore further." Bex suggested firmly. "You guys know the promise I made to my mom, and I don't want to break it not even two days into the year." I told them, defeated. "Then what do we do?" Macey asked. "We wait." I replied, blatantly.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

After two long weeks of waiting, my friends and I were on our toes. "When do you think it'll happen?" Lizzie asked as we walked down to breakfast. "I have no idea," Macey said. "But I'm going to be prepared, no matter what." She put extra effort this morning, doing her make-up and hair, therefore forcing my roommates and me to be dolled up too. We can't change our uniforms, as much as Macey complains, but we all had mascara and blush on, with brushed out hair.

We entered the cafeteria and grabbed our food, and my friends and I kept stealing glances at the door, as if we were expecting them to appear out of thin air. "You know, we could always be wrong." Bex said, low enough so only Macey, Liz and I could hear it. "But what other explanation is there for those dorms?" Macey questioned, her voice almost as low as Bex. We all shrugged and continued eating, never letting the main doors out of our sight.

Bex and I headed towards Cove Ops while Liz and Macey headed towards their classes, we both kept looking around, waiting for them to appear out of thin air. "They haven't come all day, what makes you think they're coming at all?" Bex asked me as we entered the elevator heading toward Sublevel Two. I let the question hang out in the open as we stepped into our classroom. "Don't bother sitting down," Mr. Solomon told us. "Follow me." We all faced the door and matched his footsteps while we made our way upstairs, to who-knows-what.

"Put these on." Mr. Solomon told us while handing us blind-folds. He was standing in front of a helicopter and I could tell everyone was anxious, wondering if we were going to have to get in the helicopter, even though it seemed pretty obvious. He stepped into the helicopter, and forced with no other option we all followed. Bex immediately tied the blind-fold behind her head and fell asleep as we took off, in complete silence.

"It's… It's a mall." Tina, our school gossip, gasped 47 minutes later. The helicopter was indeed parked outside of a mall and Bex asked what was on all our minds, "Are we here as shifters or spies, and what's our mission?" Sometimes, to challenge us, Mr. Solomon makes us do missions as our other half, and trust me it's as difficult as it sounds. "You are here as spies, and you are to meet me at the Ruby Slippers exhibit at 5 o'clock. You will be tailed throughout the area and your objective is to arrive tail-less and on-time," He told us. "Go."

An hour later Bex and I were walking around, losing tails. "Ooh! I want one!" Bex squealed, looking at two boys sitting on a bench. "Bex, they're not puppies." She looked at me. "Wow, you're really not over Josh." She said to me. I scowled, "I am!" I insisted, but she gave me an unbelieving look and we kept walking. "Bex." I said to her, my voice low and soft. "I see her." She said to a woman going into a coffee shop. She was Ms. Ordinary, only we saw her 20 minutes earlier pushing a stroller in athletic clothes. "This is getting boring." Bex whined. "Well, it's part of the job." I retorted, slightly angry about her comment about Josh. She pouted, "You're still mad at me." She could read me like a book. "Not really mad, just annoyed." I sighed. She made a little gasp. "Oh. My. Bloody. Hell." She said, in between quiet breaths. "What is it?" I asked her looking around, trying to catch what she saw without drawing attention to myself. "Some boys are following us." She giggled as some girls passed us, giving us weird looks at Bex's gasping. Luckily I got her point. "Oh my god, so we were right," I said. "Let's lose 'em." I smirked and pointed to a group of girls that were wearing identical clothing to ours. She subtly nodded and we headed into the herd.

"I like your necklace." I said to a girl named Sarah, as this was a part of blending in. She smiled, "Thanks! I love your hair!" She told me with a smile. Strangers with candy are dangerous but strangers with compliments can get you in anywhere. Bex complimented a girl name 'Vanessa' to our right and they greeted us with open arms. "They are so totally following us!" Sarah said with a squeal. Bex and I shared a glace and I asked, "Who?" She smiled, "Those boys!" She squealed again and all the other girls around us looked back. I glanced back and sure enough I saw the same two boys. "Look! Let's go catch those trains!" Bex yelled and the group started running towards the train tracks and with the momentary distraction we slipped away without notice.

"Let's split up, it's our best way of losing them." She nodded and without question started walking away. I moved towards the elevator, but as I reached toward the button a hand stopped me. "Up or down?" He asked me, as in one of the two that had been following us. I almost let out a grunt in frustration. "Up, please." I smiled up at him. He smiled back and pushed the button. The doors opened and I stepped in, hoping he wouldn't follow, but, of course, he did. It's his job after all. "Are you following me?" I wondered, not hiding my annoyance. "What's your name?" He asked me, ignoring my question. "Cammie," I don't know exactly why I answered him, and with my real name even. "What's yours hot shot?" I questioned, angry at myself for answering his damn question. "Zach." He gave a look of puzzlement that was probably planted on my face too. "Well, thanks for pushing my buttons and everything but, I got to go." I said while slipping out of the elevator doors. "Wait, a girl like you shouldn't be roaming the streets all by herself at night." He said. Nice pickup line. I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for the chivalry and all but I think I'm good." I spat at him, and I started jogging towards the exhibit. I know he's going to follow me so I make a wrong turn and somehow find myself climbing out of a bathroom window. I jog towards an exit that's close to the exhibit and step in. It was really close and not ten seconds later I find myself facing Mr. Solomon. "You're late." He says. "But I'm alone." I tell him. "Are you?" And Zach steps out of the shadows, smirking. I scowl, "But I climbed out of a bathroom window and everything!" "Yes, but you still got followed." Mr. Solomon says to me. "Too bad, so sad, Gallagher Girl." Zach says, finally speaking up. "I guess this is the part that I welcome you to Gallagher Academy." I scowl at him. Zach and Solomon both share a look of disbelief for a second. "Very good Cameron, but not good enough." I glare at him for a second then turn on my heel towards the helicopter.

It turns out, out of the eight Gallagher Girls on a mission today only Anna Fetterman, yes you heard me right, Anna Fetterman completed the mission. After I left, the other boy, Grant apparently, tailed Bex so even she failed. We share a look, knowing that as soon as we tell Liz and Macey they're going to freak out. These boys are going to be a pain in the butt.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Not 60 minutes later my sisters and I found ourselves at the doorstep of Gallagher. We stood in complete silence, waiting for Mr. Solomon to release us.

"Before you go, I want you all to do something for me." He told us, pausing for emphasis. "What is it, sir?" Bex asked, trying to get him to hurry the heck up. "Notice things." He told us, revisiting the advice he gave us what seems like forever ago. "You may go." He said, finally releasing us.

Bex and I aren't asked twice, and we ran up to our room as fast as shifterly possible. Get it? Shifterly. Oh I crack myself up.

In what seemed as no time, Bex and I found ourselves at our dorm. Bex wastes no time and barges in, startling a studying Liz and reading Macey. Don't get too worked up, it was a magazine.

"You will never believe what happened!" I started and Bex started talking a million words a minute, while Liz and Macey listened intently, gasping and laughing at all the right moments. At the end when Bex finally took a big gulp of breath and fell back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, my other two roommates looked at me. "What?" I asked them. Macey rolled over on her belly, put her chin in the palm of her head, and stared intently at me. "What?" I asked again. "So, were they cute?" She asked, smiling devilishly and drawing out the 'So'. Bex answered for me, "Oh, they were cute." Liz looked at me expectantly. "Any input Cammie?" By the look in her eyes I could tell the real question is, 'Are you really over Josh?' I didn't find them ugly but not exactly gorgeous, but not wanting them to think I'm still not over Josh I sighed, "They were pretty cute." I told her, flopping on to my own bed. "Ooh if Cammie think they're cute they must be pretty cute." Macey laughed.

Having no idea what that means, I got up and got my pajamas. "Well, I'm going to go get ready for bed."

"Oh, no you're not. Not in that." Macey told me and ran down the hall and back in no time, holding a silk top and soft, matching, shorty short bottoms. I looked at her as if she was crazy, and she kind of is. "What if they come at night?" She asked me, throwing the clothes at me. "What's wrong with my pajamas?" I asked her, holding up my footy pajamas. She just shook her head, took my regular pajamas and pushed me into the bathroom. "You'll thank me later!" She called, and with that, I got ready for bed.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N I CHANGED BEX TO A BEAR SHIFTER AND LIZ TO A BIRD SHIFTER! Now this is the chapter where it gets weird, so review if you want me to change the story up :3**

**Thank you and good day **

Chapter Six

The next morning I had butterflies in my stomach and from the looks on my best friend's faces I could tell they had them too, besides Macey. I mean, sure Bex and I have already met them but that was on open territory, coming on to my turf is a whole other story.

"Ready?" Macey asks us, while adding the last dab of make-up to her own face. Knowing that today is the day they come she made us all wake up 4 hours earlier and went to work Macey-fying us. We all nodded, and left our room on our way to our doom…. Totally just kidding! Maybe.

Once we all sat down we put our poker faces on and went on like it was a normal day. Just when I was about to put a forkful of waffles into my mouth the backdoors flew open. All conversation stopped, like someone pressed a mute button. Silverware clattered onto the table, mouths were hanging open. My roommates and me, knowing this was going to happen, went on eating, not even sparing a glance at the trouble heading our way. I only looked when I felt a pair of eyes on the back of my head and turned around to see a smirking Zach looking right at me. I smirked right back at him and turned to my friends, and we tried our best to finish our meal and leave the room as soon as the boys were seated.

Doing my best to avoid the boys all day, Bex and I made our way to P&E. I was in my running clothes, ready to go for my daily run and Bex was warming up, ready to use her strength to her benefit. I wished her luck and ran out the side door of the barn and started my stretching. I could feel about a dozen stares coming from a window in the barn and turned around to see 11 boys checking me out and one smirking Goode.

I rolled my eyes and finished my last stretch. I took a deep breath and ran out to the woods. Within seconds the barn was out of my sight and I took in the pure beauty of the outdoors. I focus on my breathing and making sure I stay human, for if I start getting too into my running I may accidentally shift into my cheetah form. I play over what I heard my mother say earlier saying there was a breach. I smile knowingly, and slow down as I walk to a small clearing I visit every day.

"Calm down! It's just me!" I call out, knowing my friends were preparing for an attack. I finally get there and look around, eyeing the tents and food. "Wow, you sure made yourself at home." I laugh. Before I can react, someone is squeezing me from the side. "Cammie, I missed you so much!" Amaris squeals. "I missed you too," I say squeezing her back. "All of you." I add.

"Well it took you long enough." London adds, but with a smile on her face. I motion for her to join in the group hug and soon we are all one mound.

Once all the greetings are over, Dez is the last to step away. "Cams, we have a problem," My fellow cat shifter tells me. "The Tribunal found our school again, and now we're all on the run."

"But I thought…"

"Apparently it wasn't good enough." She sighs.

I eye Lazar, "Did you do this?" I question him, my finger pointing at his chest accusingly.

He looks hurt, "No! I'm on your guys' side now! I hate Ximon as much as the next guy." I give it some thought, checking his eyes to tell if he's lying. I hug him, "You're right, sorry." I say squeezing his middle. He hugs me back and pats my back. "It's okay, I'm not sure I'd believe myself if I were you." He chuckles. "Hey! Don't I get a hug?" Caleb whines, appearing behind Lazar. I laugh, rolling my eyes, "Come 'ere." I smile at him, unwinding myself from Lazar and opening my arms for him. He comes and hugs me, "Jeez Caleb, I said hug, not choke." He puts me down smiling. "Go hug your girlfriend." I laugh. He immediately turns to Dez and gives her one of those pick-up hugs.

"So, what's our plan?" I ask everyone.

"I dunno."

"Something."

"Ask Dez."

I turn towards Dez, giving her a questioning look.

"I was kinda hoping…"

"Yes! Yes! A million times yes!" I say, knowing exactly what she was going to say. I plant this big smile on my face and run towards my best friend, giving her the biggest hug I could muster.

"What's with all the hugging?" She asks me smiling.

I roll my eyes, "Get packed up, we're going back in 5 minutes." I tell them, using the clock in my head.

"Siku," I tell the bear shifter. "Shift." He just nods, and heads off into the forest. November starts to follow but I motion for her to stay, "Alone, Ember." She shoots me a snotty look but heads back. "Man she sooo loves him." London says, appearing beside me. "You said it," I tell her. "Now go help." I shoo her off. Siku appears back in his huge bear form. "You OK carrying everything back?" He just nods his big head and walks to the middle of the camp site and lay down, making it easier to reach his back.

Once all the big stuff was saddled on the big bear's back we all headed back to my home, with me in the lead. At first I know Mom is going to be so mad at me but once she figures out who Dez is, the last Tiger shifter known to exsist, and the fact that they went to a shifters' school, she'll have to keep them. I told them all a long time ago that I went to a school for spies and shifters so they know to be prepared.

We get back to school in what seems as no time and the barn is empty since we're almost 20 minutes late. No one's come to look for me because I've been known to stay out a bit past my curfew, and besides, I'm only missing lunch.

Once we get inside I help Siku get all the stuff off his back and throw his change of clothes onto his back and motion for him to go change in the corner. Everyone else turns to give him privacy except for Ember and I see Dez give her a look and she unwillingly turns back around.

"Okay, ready." I hear Siku say.

I motion for everyone to follow me and they all follow my path, all the while staying eerily quiet. As soon as I can hear the chorus of lunchtime, I stop and turn to my friends.

"Okay, pep talk time! When we get in there, ignore everyone and let me talk to my mom. She might yell at me, she might scream at me, since I haven't exactly told her you were coming, but don't make a peep. I'll come and tell you the plan then. After, they'll probably want to talk to you, but don't say a word until I give you the 'OK'." I tell them. "Got it?" They all nod and I take a deep breath before walking into the cafeteria.


End file.
